Clay course expansion at Knight's Trail approved

Tuesday

Mar 25, 2014 at 1:41 PM

Sarasota County commissioners vote unanimously to give the club $500,000 in public money, along with extended leases on 100 additional acres

Lee Williams

SARASOTA – It was standing room only at the Sarasota County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, as shotgunners and business leaders took to the podium to support a plan to expand the sporting clay course at Knight's Trail Park.

Their efforts — along with a massive letter writing campaign — paid off.

The commission voted unanimously to give the club $500,000 in public money, along with extended leases on 100 additional acres, so the club can add at least two more sporting clay courses.

Sarasota Trap, Skeet & Clays club member and masters level shooter George H. Mazzarantani is the attorney who drafted the plan.

“We're elated — absolutely elated,” Mazzarantani said. “I think the commission fully appreciated the breadth and scope of our proposal. We hope, as we come through the process, that the rest of the county will be able to enjoy our bigger and better offerings and partnership.

“I'd like to thank the commission, but in particular, Commissioner Christine Robinson, County Administrator Thomas Harmer and County Attorney Stephen DeMarsh.”

Robinson, an avid sporting clay shooter, was a strong supporter of the plan.

“This is such a good deal for Sarasota County, as far as our return on investment,” she said, just before calling for a vote. “The deal — this proposal — is quite frankly amazing.”

Hours before the vote was taken Mazzarantani lined up a powerful cross-section of support and they told the commission of the economic benefits two additional courses could provide.

Venice Chamber of Commerce member and City Councilwoman Jeanette Gates said she is a shooter, the wife of a shooter and the mother of two daughters who shoot.

“The atmosphere is fun and encouraging,” she said at the hearing, adding that she won a recent shoot sponsored by the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.

“I brought home the trophy to Venice,” she said. “Maybe there will be a grudge match.”

Club president George Minnig said his club, a nonprofit that is open to the public, has been expanding at around 30 percent each year.

“All that shooting is discretionary spending, at one of the worst times of our economy,” he said. “Accommodating new shooters is becoming a problem. We're the victim of our own success.”

With more courses will come larger tournaments, Minnig said.

“One three-day shoot can generate $500,000,” he said. “We've already hosted 38 shoots for community and service clubs - all accommodated with a small paid staff and dedicated volunteers.”

Steve Queior, President and CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, said more courses will be great for local shooters, but larger tournaments will be a boon for the entire county.

“Some of these folks coming nationally for the tournaments and events will see beautiful Sarasota County for the first time and invest here,” he said.

Contact info: If we don't run into each other at the range, you can reach me at (941) 361-4975, by email at lee.williams@heraldtribune.com or by regular mail, 1741 Main St., Sarasota, FL 34236. You can also follow me on social media at www.facebook.com/TheGunWriter or www.Twitter.com/HT_GunWriter